Wheel Parts Sources & Ordering
11-23-20, 07:02 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Wheel Parts Sources & Ordering
Hi BF:
Another wrenching newbie question
I'm overhauling the wheels on a couple of late 90's Trek Craigslist bikes (700 & 800) I bought super cheap to fix up.
Right now, I'm working on cleaning up the wheel hubs, bearings, etc.
This is the first area where I think I need a few parts, so wanted to get some info for ordering & recommendations for good suppliers.
First patient is 700 front wheel - It's a Shimano hub (not sure specifics) that has a cone fitting a 13mm wrench took it apart, and found:
I've done some searching but by Google-Fu for bike parts isn't yet well honed.
So some questions:
Who are the popular, respected parts suppliers (I've seen Jenson, Performance, etc.)?
Any suggestions on how to search/find correct parts and/or resources to help me get my bearings (pun intended) on nomenclature so I can find/order the right stuff?
Thanks for everyone's assistance and insight!
Another wrenching newbie question
I'm overhauling the wheels on a couple of late 90's Trek Craigslist bikes (700 & 800) I bought super cheap to fix up.
Right now, I'm working on cleaning up the wheel hubs, bearings, etc.
This is the first area where I think I need a few parts, so wanted to get some info for ordering & recommendations for good suppliers.
First patient is 700 front wheel - It's a Shimano hub (not sure specifics) that has a cone fitting a 13mm wrench took it apart, and found:
- QR skewer (correct term?) has no spring, and I've seen others that do. I assume it's advisable to replace?
- Lock nut surfaces look pretty flattened. They were holding, but should I replace?
I haven't checked if the axle rolls pretty true, but if it doesn't it could need replacement. - Bearings are shiny (look to be 3/16", 10 on each side), so I guess they can be reused. Advice on whether I should just replace (they're not terribly expensive I believe)?
- One cone has lots of pitting on the bearing surfaces. The other has the start of pitting in one section.
I've done some searching but by Google-Fu for bike parts isn't yet well honed.
So some questions:
Who are the popular, respected parts suppliers (I've seen Jenson, Performance, etc.)?
Any suggestions on how to search/find correct parts and/or resources to help me get my bearings (pun intended) on nomenclature so I can find/order the right stuff?
Thanks for everyone's assistance and insight!
11-23-20, 10:18 AM
#2
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The springs are primarily to center the QR relative to the hub so as to facilitate replacing the wheel in the frame. So useful only
for the few seconds needed then. This site is useful for cones:
https://wheelsmfg.com/products/hub-parts/all-cones.html
Loose screws used to be good for stuff like this but not any more. Amazon has an amazing variety of stuff but you really
need to know what you want and sometimes there is not enough info on amazon to make a decision. A Shimano hub should
simplify the search. Check the LBS, if available, for the QR spring and lock nuts out of their discard box.
for the few seconds needed then. This site is useful for cones:
https://wheelsmfg.com/products/hub-parts/all-cones.html
Loose screws used to be good for stuff like this but not any more. Amazon has an amazing variety of stuff but you really
need to know what you want and sometimes there is not enough info on amazon to make a decision. A Shimano hub should
simplify the search. Check the LBS, if available, for the QR spring and lock nuts out of their discard box.
11-23-20, 10:38 AM
#3
Member
Thread Starter
The springs are primarily to center the QR relative to the hub so as to facilitate replacing the wheel in the frame. So useful only
for the few seconds needed then. This site is useful for cones:
https://wheelsmfg.com/products/hub-parts/all-cones.html
Loose screws used to be good for stuff like this but not any more. Amazon has an amazing variety of stuff but you really
need to know what you want and sometimes there is not enough info on amazon to make a decision. A Shimano hub should
simplify the search. Check the LBS, if available, for the QR spring and lock nuts out of their discard box.
for the few seconds needed then. This site is useful for cones:
https://wheelsmfg.com/products/hub-parts/all-cones.html
Loose screws used to be good for stuff like this but not any more. Amazon has an amazing variety of stuff but you really
need to know what you want and sometimes there is not enough info on amazon to make a decision. A Shimano hub should
simplify the search. Check the LBS, if available, for the QR spring and lock nuts out of their discard box.
11-23-20, 04:46 PM
#4
Senior Member
Save yourself the aggravation and get a new hub. I bought a Trek 7000 from 1990 on ebay a few years ago and everything on it was crudded up. I repacked the hubs and bottom bracket but the hubs were just too far gone to bother with and I built new wheels with all new parts. Along with everything else I did it felt like a new bike when I was done. This was 6 years ago and I took that bike for a 2 20 mile spins last week, no issues whatsoever and I haven't touched it since I built it except tires and tubes, and brake pads. It was my regular commuting bike for those years except I retired last year.
I must have done something right though, the original crank is still on it and never had another problem after I repacked it that first time, so maybe sometimes it is worth doing.
I must have done something right though, the original crank is still on it and never had another problem after I repacked it that first time, so maybe sometimes it is worth doing.
11-23-20, 10:27 PM
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Save yourself the aggravation and get a new hub. I bought a Trek 7000 from 1990 on ebay a few years ago and everything on it was crudded up. I repacked the hubs and bottom bracket but the hubs were just too far gone to bother with and I built new wheels with all new parts. Along with everything else I did it felt like a new bike when I was done.
11-24-20, 11:20 AM
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Everything depends on what you plan to do with the bikes. If you are going to flip them, then you need some donor parts from another bike or find a co-op and see what you can get. Even if you are going to keep them, that is not a bad idea.
You need to identify what you have. You can find vintage Trek catalogs online. Look up your models and what year they match and get an idea on the components. Retrobike has copies of Shimano catalogs. As an example a 1998 Trek 800 uses Altus hubs and they are identified as RM-40. There is a lookup chart on Wheels Mfg and they have cone CN-R036 for an HB-RM40 for $10 each. Is that the right cone for you? Who knows. I don't know exactly what bike you have and just did a quick and dirty lookup. As already mentioned, you need to see what the races look like to determine if it is worth replacing the cones. But that is how it works.
It wasn't that long ago where you could find almost any older parts on eBay relatively cheap, except for certain parts that were highly sought after. For years I would use eBay pics to determine what components I had. It was even better than Velobase. Since the pandemic, parts have almost entirely dried up and even parts I consider to be beat up are selling for way more. It seems everyone is fixing up old bikes because new ones aren't available or they are just looking for a cheap option for a bike.
There is another option and that is measuring the existing cones with digital calipers and try to determine what you can get to work. I've never tried the close enough route for bearing surfaces, but it is possible especially if you don't care about hub seals.
John
You need to identify what you have. You can find vintage Trek catalogs online. Look up your models and what year they match and get an idea on the components. Retrobike has copies of Shimano catalogs. As an example a 1998 Trek 800 uses Altus hubs and they are identified as RM-40. There is a lookup chart on Wheels Mfg and they have cone CN-R036 for an HB-RM40 for $10 each. Is that the right cone for you? Who knows. I don't know exactly what bike you have and just did a quick and dirty lookup. As already mentioned, you need to see what the races look like to determine if it is worth replacing the cones. But that is how it works.
It wasn't that long ago where you could find almost any older parts on eBay relatively cheap, except for certain parts that were highly sought after. For years I would use eBay pics to determine what components I had. It was even better than Velobase. Since the pandemic, parts have almost entirely dried up and even parts I consider to be beat up are selling for way more. It seems everyone is fixing up old bikes because new ones aren't available or they are just looking for a cheap option for a bike.
There is another option and that is measuring the existing cones with digital calipers and try to determine what you can get to work. I've never tried the close enough route for bearing surfaces, but it is possible especially if you don't care about hub seals.
John
11-24-20, 12:17 PM
#7
Member
Thread Starter
Everything depends on what you plan to do with the bikes. If you are going to flip them, then you need some donor parts from another bike or find a co-op and see what you can get. Even if you are going to keep them, that is not a bad idea.
You need to identify what you have. You can find vintage Trek catalogs online. Look up your models and what year they match and get an idea on the components. Retrobike has copies of Shimano catalogs. As an example a 1998 Trek 800 uses Altus hubs and they are identified as RM-40. There is a lookup chart on Wheels Mfg and they have cone CN-R036 for an HB-RM40 for $10 each. Is that the right cone for you? Who knows. I don't know exactly what bike you have and just did a quick and dirty lookup. As already mentioned, you need to see what the races look like to determine if it is worth replacing the cones. But that is how it works.
It wasn't that long ago where you could find almost any older parts on eBay relatively cheap, except for certain parts that were highly sought after. For years I would use eBay pics to determine what components I had. It was even better than Velobase. Since the pandemic, parts have almost entirely dried up and even parts I consider to be beat up are selling for way more. It seems everyone is fixing up old bikes because new ones aren't available or they are just looking for a cheap option for a bike.
There is another option and that is measuring the existing cones with digital calipers and try to determine what you can get to work. I've never tried the close enough route for bearing surfaces, but it is possible especially if you don't care about hub seals.
John
You need to identify what you have. You can find vintage Trek catalogs online. Look up your models and what year they match and get an idea on the components. Retrobike has copies of Shimano catalogs. As an example a 1998 Trek 800 uses Altus hubs and they are identified as RM-40. There is a lookup chart on Wheels Mfg and they have cone CN-R036 for an HB-RM40 for $10 each. Is that the right cone for you? Who knows. I don't know exactly what bike you have and just did a quick and dirty lookup. As already mentioned, you need to see what the races look like to determine if it is worth replacing the cones. But that is how it works.
It wasn't that long ago where you could find almost any older parts on eBay relatively cheap, except for certain parts that were highly sought after. For years I would use eBay pics to determine what components I had. It was even better than Velobase. Since the pandemic, parts have almost entirely dried up and even parts I consider to be beat up are selling for way more. It seems everyone is fixing up old bikes because new ones aren't available or they are just looking for a cheap option for a bike.
There is another option and that is measuring the existing cones with digital calipers and try to determine what you can get to work. I've never tried the close enough route for bearing surfaces, but it is possible especially if you don't care about hub seals.
John
The 800 I think will become a commuter bike if I ever go back to the office, and act as a back up for when I feel confident enough to take a wrench to my primary bike, and loaner for friends.
The 700 has some seat tube issues, but I'm investing the time cleaning & tuning parts on it for the educational benefit and to build up some spare parts if it doesn't make it back on the road.
If I rebuilt the wheels, that may be an advanced wrenching exercise - still being kind of new, so that may be down the road. Not sure about working with spokes yet. lol
I did use my calipers to see what I have - diameter is 14.98mm (15mm). length is approx 12.4mm, and I was contemplating just getting some 'close enough' cones to go through.
Wheels Mfg. has a couple that are close (a few 15.0x12.8 - I'd have to research the difference before considering buying), so I'll consider that while furthering my research and education.
I did look at the specs in the Trek catalog to get an idea of some of the components. I'll go back and document the specifics, check the Shimano documentation etc., to get more schooled on what I have and my options.
It's like learning a new language.
Thanks again to all I'll provide some updates as I get my head wrapped around it all, and read up.
11-24-20, 02:00 PM
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I did use my calipers to see what I have - diameter is 14.98mm (15mm). length is approx 12.4mm, and I was contemplating just getting some 'close enough' cones to go through.
Wheels Mfg. has a couple that are close (a few 15.0x12.8 - I'd have to research the difference before considering buying), so I'll consider that while furthering my research and education.
Wheels Mfg. has a couple that are close (a few 15.0x12.8 - I'd have to research the difference before considering buying), so I'll consider that while furthering my research and education.
John
11-25-20, 07:01 AM
#9
Member
Thread Starter
I'll be doing more data gathering (and documenting) and research, but that look up chart is probably the key (or one of them) to figuring this out.
Again, much obliged for the input & helpful/patient responses for a newb.
